Chickened Out on Same-Sex Marriage

The Chick-fil-A Inc. cow mascot during the grand opening of the company's restaurant in Costa Mesa, California.

The Chick-fil-A debate has reached the U.S. Congress.

Members of the Republican Study Committee today dined on chicken sandwiches and wraps from the fast food company at their weekly luncheon. It was a show of support after its president, Dan Cathy, said he opposes gay marriage.

RSC Spokesman Brian Straessle called it “a show of support for the fact that a private individual is allowed to express his opinion without being bullied by the left,” as reported in Bloomberg Government’s Congress Tracker.

The president of Chick-fil-A told an interviewer last week that his privately held company is “guilty as charged” in the support of traditional marriage. Afterward, the Boston Herald reported that the city’s mayor wants to block the chain from opening a restaurant there, and the Chicago Tribune reported similar sentiments expressed by an alderman.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a Republican and erstwhile Baptist preacher who ran for president, used his Facebook page to call for a “Chick-fil-A appreciation day.”

As for the company, it released a statement saying that it treats “every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender” and `”going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”